The Punjab Assembly witnessed heated exchanges as the government and opposition lawmakers clashed during the opening day of the general debate on the provincial budget 2026-27, with the government defending the budget as a roadmap for development and public welfare while the opposition branding it as ‘publicity-driven’.
Opening the debate, Opposition Leader Moin Riaz Qureshi criticized the budget, alleging that it prioritizes political image-building over public welfare. He questioned the government’s policies on education and agriculture, raising concerns over the outsourcing of public schools, challenges faced by farmers, the wheat procurement policy, and delays in development projects.
The atmosphere in the House became increasingly tense when the Minister for Finance Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman staged a walkout during the opposition leader’s speech, prompting strong reactions from the opposition benches. The deputy speaker also discouraged the walkout by the government members, stating that it was not a healthy parliamentary tradition and that treasury benches should listen to criticism or respond to it in the House.
Responding to the criticism, Minister for Communications Sohaib Bharth rejected the opposition’s allegations and highlighted the government’s development agenda. He said infrastructure projects were progressing across Punjab, citing the construction and rehabilitation of thousands of kilometers of roads, and described Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s initiatives as people-centric and development-oriented.
MPA Ahsan Raza countered the criticism regarding the naming of development projects after the Sharif family. He reminded the opposition that during former chief minister Usman Buzdar’s tenure, initiatives funded by public money were also named after his father in his constituency. He argued that the practice had precedent and questioned the opposition’s current objection. The debate continued with participation from both treasury and opposition members after PPP leader Ali Haider Gilani facilitated return of the government lawmakers to the House.
Chief Whip Rana Arshad termed the Rs5.3 trillion provincial budget a reflection of the development vision of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He said that substantial allocations had been earmarked for health, education, agriculture, and social protection programs. However, opposition lawmakers argued that South Punjab and other ‘underdeveloped’ regions had not received adequate attention in the budget.
They maintained that several ongoing development schemes remained underfunded, while deficiencies in basic civic services continued to affect residents in many areas. The first day of the budget debate underscored the sharp political divide between the government and opposition, with both the sides presenting contrasting narratives on the province’s fiscal priorities and development strategy. Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora said that the provincial government has presented a balanced and people-centric budget.
He said the budget reflects the government’s unwavering commitment to public welfare and inclusive development. He said that special emphasis has been placed on the health and education sectors. He said that the budget also accords priority to the transport and social protection sectors. He said that the welfare of minorities remains a top priority of the Punjab government. He also appreciated Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan for promoting the digitalization of the assembly business, saying that digital transformation would help foster a green and paperless culture.
